For the pagans and Buddhists, they feel refreshed just by feeling the wind. Others have to be dunked into water or sit in a box to feel cleansed of their sins. But thenew art walk up at the District is managing to pull this righteous cleansing off all by itself. All you have to do is walk inside the place.Once inside the confines, the familial ties between the artists and the connectedness of this community wakes up your spirit.

This Sunday, ActivistArtistA hosted the "KeroWACKED: A Homage to Jack" festival that ran all day and had everything, like car-painting, craft-selling, live painting, live music from both bands and solo artists, and even live DJs -- all this went on at the same time. You couldn't turn and not be immersed in something artistically related.

Monica McGivern

Why not paint a car?

​

Monica McGivern

The short-haired blond is artist Krist Delgado. She created a Kerouac-themed piece.

Now, many might not know who Jack Kerouac is. He was a Beat Generation writer, most famous for his book On the Road. He loved jazz and beatnik poetry (just try to recite a poem in the style of a jazz beat). He loved socializing, drinking with friends, and talking about human emotions.

Although none of the artwork, besides a piece or two, was Kerouac-themed, more important, this festival dedicated to Kerouac captured his spirit. And he's a man to love.

Monica McGivern

The awesome van.

​

Monica McGivern

Rolando Chang Barrero, the man whose spirit is changing the tip-top of South Florida. Watch out, this thing is growing.

​

Monica McGivern

What the studios look like.

​

By Monica McGivern

Inside her studio, the Inkmaster star Lea Vendetta. She creates paintings as well as tattoos. (Note: the tatts are done at the shop, A Stroke of Genius Tattoos.)

​

Outside the studios, the Bay Gates Project is well under way. Beautiful graffiti now lingers across many walls. An artist will paint each gate (the "door" to the studio), and then after a year, a new artist will get that movable barrier. Same goes for the walls.

Monica McGivern

​

Monica McGivern

​

Monica McGivern

One friend asked me if I had seen the "Voodoo" plants. I had not, and then he led me to this greenery treasure.